Mormon Baseball

Returning from hip surgery, veteran pitcher Clayton Mortensen, who has spent parts of the last 5 seasons as a reliever in the majors, pitched two steller games last week. Over a total of 11 innings, Mortensen shut out his opponents while giving up just 6 hits and 3 walks and while striking out 10. He finished the week with a 1-0 record, a 0.00 era and a 0.82 WHIP. I’m sure he will be trying to keep up that level of play during the rest of the season.

Mortensen wasn’t the only stellar Mormon pitcher in the minors. Taylor Cole (Dunedin Blue Jays of the Florida State League — A+) also shut out his opponents in a 7-inning start, giving up just 3 hits and no walks while striking out 9. He remains at the top of the league in strike outs (with 82) and 3rd in the league in WHIP. His numbers are so good that it seems likely the Blue Jays are just waiting for a spot in AA to open up.

At the plate the best performance came from Jacob Hannemann (Kane County Cougars of the Midwest League — A) who was 9 for 26 (.346) with 3 runs, 2 rbis and 3 stolen bases.

Pitcher Adam Miller (South Bend Silver Hawks of the Midwest League — A) was placed on the DL, joining fellow pitcher Boone Whiting (Memphis Redbirds of the Pacific Coast League — AAA). Mitch Maier (Northwest Arkansas Naturals of the Texas League — AA) and Nik Turley (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders of the International League — AAA) began the season on the DL and haven’t yet played.

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Hitting Stats Leaders:

• Jaycob Brugman (Midwest League – A) — .374 OBP (tied 13th); .449 SLG (tied 21st); .823 OPS (16th)
• Jeff Gelalich (Midwest League – A) — 12 stolen bases (tied 21st)
• Jacob Hanneman (Midwest League – A) — 17 stolen bases (tied 10th)
• Shane Petersen (Pacific Coast League – AAA) — 9 stolen bases (tied 15th); 41 runs (4th); .388 OBP (tied 17th); 65 hits (tied 8th); 33 walks (tied 5th)

Pitching Stats Leaders:

• Tyson Brummett (Southern League – AA) — 2.38 era (6th); 3 wins (tied 10th); 50 strike outs (9th); 1.17 WHIP (tied 7th); 64.1 innings pitched (10th)
• Taylor Cole (Florida State League – A+) — 2.31 era (10th); 4 win (tied 13th); 82 strikeouts (1st); 0.99 WHIP (3rd); 66.1 innings (3rd)
• Tyler Pill (Eastern League – AA) — 39 strike outs (tied 23rd);

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Current Roster Players:

• Jaycob Brugman — Outfield — Beloit Snappers (OAK) — Midwest League (A)
  6 for 22 (.273) 2 run, 8 rbi, 2 hr, 5 bb, 1 sb, 8 so
  YTD: .279, 19 run, 23 rbi, 4 hr, 22 bb, 2 sb, 37 so in 147 at bats
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• Tyson Brummett — Pitcher — Chattanooga Lookouts (LAD) — Southern League (AA)
  0-2, 6.30 era, 13 hits, 7 er, 6 k, 6 bb in 10.0 innings; 1.90 WHIP
  YTD: 4-5, 2.38 era, 58 hits, 17 er, 50 k, 17 bb in 64.1 innings; 1.17 WHIP
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• Taylor Cole — Pitcher — Dunedin Blue Jays (TOR) — Florida State League (A+)
  1-0, 0.00 era, 3 hits, 0 er, 9 k, 0 bb in 7.0 innings; 0.43 WHIP
  YTD: 4-2, 2.31 era, 52 hits, 17 er, 82 k, 14 bb in 66.1 innings; 0.99 WHIP
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• Jeff Gelalich — Outfield — Dayton Dragons (CIN) — Midwest League (A)
  2 for 11 (.182) 0 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 0 bb, 1 sb, 1 so
  YTD: .223, 30 runs, 20 rbi, 2 hr, 22 bb, 12 sb, 52 so in 197 at bats
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• Jacob Hannemann — Right Field — Kane County Cougars (CHC) — Midwest League (A)
  9 for 26 (.346) 3 run, 2 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 3 sb, 2 so
  YTD: .234, 30 run, 20 rbi, 2 hr, 20 bb, 17 sb, 50 so in 197 at bats
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• Bryan Harper — Pitcher — Potomac Nationals (WSH) — Carolina League (A+)
  0-0, 5.40 era, 5 hits, 4 er, 4 k, 5 bb in 6.2 innings; 1.50 WHIP
  YTD: 0-0, 2.81 era, 22 hits, 8 er, 20 k, 8 bb in 25.2 innings; 1.17 WHIP
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• Adam Law — 3rd base — Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (LAD) — California League (A+)
  7 for 23 (.304) 7 run, 3 rbi, 0 hr, 5 bb, 1 sb, 2 so
  YTD: .308, 24 run, 12 rbi, 0 hr, 14 bb, 6 sb, 20 so in 117 at bats
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• Marcus Littlewood — Catcher — Clinton LumberKings (SEA) — Midwest League (A)
  3 for 14 (.214) 2 run, 2 rbi, 1 hr, 3 bb, 0 sb, 3 so
  YTD: .286, 23 run, 24 rbi, 4 hr, 19 bb, 1 sb, 24 so in 126 at bats
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• Brandon Lyon — Pitcher — Salt Lake Bees (LAA) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  Did not pitch — free agent
  YTD: 0-6, era 4.08, 33 hits, 8 er, 8 bb and 9 k in 17.2 innings; 2.32 WHIP
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• Mitch Maier — Outfield — Northwest Arkansas Naturals (KC) — Texas League (AA)
  Did not play — 7-Day DL
  YTD: .000, 0 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 0 bb, 0 sb, 0 so in 0 at bats
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• Adam Miller — Pitcher —South Bend Silver Hawks (AZ) — Midwest League (A)
  Did not play — 7-Day DL
  YTD: 3-0, 2.80 era, 28 hits, 11 er, 25 k, 16 bb in 35.1 innings; 1.25 WHIP
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• Clayton Mortensen — Pitcher — Omaha Storm Chasers (KC) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  1-0, 0.00 era, 6 hits, 0 er, 10 k, 3 bb in 11.0 innings; 0.82 WHIP
  YTD: 1-0, 0.00 era, 6 hits, 0 er, 3 bb and 10 k in 11.0 innings; 0.82 WHIP
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• Matt Neil —Pitcher — Montgomery Biscuits (TB) — Southern League (AA))
  Did not pitch — released
  YTD: 1-2, 7.40 era, 34 hits, 17 er, 4 bb and 19 k in 20.2 innings; 1.84 WHIP
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• Stephen Parker — 3rd base —Nashville Sounds (MIL) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  Did not play
  YTD: .000, 0 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 0 bb, 0 sb, 0 so in 0 at bats
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• Shane Peterson — Outfielder — Sacramento River Cats (OAK) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  7 for 28 (.250) 5 run, 4 rbi, 0 hr, 3 bb, 1 sb, 10 so
  YTD: .294, 41 runs, 26 rbi, 3 hr, 33 bb, 9 sb, 56 so in 221 at bats.
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• Tyler Pill — Pitcher —Binghamton Mets (NYM) — Eastern League (AA)
  1-0, 11.25 era, 7 hits, 5 er, 6 k, 2 bb in 4.0 innings; 2.25 WHIP
  YTD: 2-5, 4.96 era, 52 hits, 25 er, 39 k, 11 bb in 45.1 innings; 1.39 WHIP
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• Travis Pitcher — Pitcher —AZL Athletics (OAK) — Arizona League (R)
  Did not play — Arizona League begins play June 20th.
  YTD: 0-0, 0.00 era, 0 hits, 0 er, 0 k, 0 bb in 0.0 innings; 0.00 WHIP
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• Adam Rosales — Infielder — Round Rock Express (TEX) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  2 for 11 (.182) 1 run, 1 rbi, 0 hr, 1 bb, 0 sb, 1 so
  YTD: .271, 31 runs, 25 rbi, 5 hr, 21 bb, 0 sb, 41 so in 192 at bats.
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• Mason Smith — Outfielder —AZL Padres (SD) — Arizona League (R)
  Did not play — Arizona League begins play June 20th.
  YTD: .000, 0 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 0 bb, 0 sb, 0 so in 0 at bats
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• Nik Turley — Pitcher — Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (NYY) — International League (AAA)
  Did not pitch — 7-day Disabled list
  YTD: 0-0, era n/a, 0 hits, 0 er, 0 bb and 0 k in 0.0 innings; n/a WHIP
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• Boone Whiting — Pitcher —Memphis Redbirds (STL) — Pacific Coast League (AAA)
  Did not pitch — 7-day Disabled list
  YTD: 0-5, 5.15 era, 41 hits, 21 er, 41 k, 17 bb in 36.2 innings; 1.58 WHIP
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Independent Leagues:

• Cole Miles — outfielder — Florence Freedom (Frontier League)
  0 for 6 (.000) 0 run, 0 rbi, 0 hr, 0 bb, 0 sb, 2 so
  YTD: .194, 4 run, 2 rbi, 0 hr, 0 bb, 2 sb, 12 so in 36 at bats

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Foreign Leagues:

• Brett Pill — Kia Tigers — Korean League
  9 for 24 (.375) 5 run, 5 rbi, 3 hr, 1 bb, 1 sb, 5 so
  YTD: .320, 35 runs, 39 rbi, 13 hr, 15 bb, 4 sb, 29 so in 172 at bats.
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Last Year’s players released: (could still be picked up by other teams)

• Blaine Howell — relief pitcher (left handed) — (was with Bakersfield Blaze of the California League – A+) — Cincinnati Reds
• Cale Iorg — released (was with Aberdeen IronBirds (BAL) — New York-Penn League (SS))
• Taylor Mangum —Released (was with Brevard County Manatees (MIL) — Florida State League (A+))
• Mitch Talbot — Free Agent (was with Las Vegas 51s (NYM) — Pacific Coast League (AAA))

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Other players who may be Mormon:
[We need to determine if these players are Mormon before publishing further information about them.]

Rick Anton, James Brooks, Jay Brossman, Brian Budrow, Eric Byrnes, Chris Capper, Tyler Chism, Dallas Christison, Shaun Cooper, Stephen Fife, Tyler Hanks, Steve Hirschfeld, Travis Huber, Zachary Jones, Goose Kallunki, Ryan Khoury, Kam Mickolio (apparently not Mormon, but I don’t have evidence either way), A. J. Murray, Jordan Taylor Pratt, Tanner Robles, Braeden Schlehuber, Justin Smith, Matt Spring, Brad Thompson, Tyler Wagner

Non-Mormons who may be confused for Mormons

Matt Carson (non-Mormon who went to BYU), Derek Christensen, Parker Morin, Egan Smith, Jordan Smith, Keenyn Walker

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